Appreciating Pakistan's concerns, need for regional stability and security, the United States has expressed its interest in establishing a long-term defence commitment.
This was stated by Secretary Defence Lieutenant-General Tariq Waseem Ghazi (Retd) on Sunday in a press talk. "This is the message I got during the host of high-level meetings I held - that the United States is willing to establish a long-term commitment," in the field of defence.
Ghazi led Pak delegation at the 17th annual Defence Consultative Group (DCG) meeting.
"My feeling is that in every field, there is complete understanding of our requirements, and our needs," he said, adding "they have not only appreciated all our efforts but termed them as exemplary."
"Beyond this forum," the secretary stated, he held "very extensive" meetings at personal level, meeting Nicholas Burns, Under-secretary for Political Affairs, and Ambassador Henry Crumpton, Co-ordinator for Counter-terrorism - held at the State Department.
About the engagements, he said it was not only a defence forum "but, we made use of the available opportunity" to meet officials to exchange views on regional security perspective.
In the DCG, Ghazi said the US side "sought our views" as how to expand defence relations further." How to go about it - and, as expansion of these ties is possible, in which areas, which places and how?"
"They have given me a concept paper, we will see to it how this strategic partnership should be based - on which principles, and it should cater to which areas." The US side wants to expand this co-operation, he added.
Ghazi said, "we drew their attention" that while bilateral co-operation was "going fine" in the global war on terrorism, "our relationship must expand beyond."
"We are in the process of identifying more areas," he stated.
In the joint statement issued at the conclusion of the Pakistan-US DCG meeting, he said there are three basic groups: one is Military Co-operation Committee, called 'a consultative group' - which deals with all subjects pertaining to training and education; a Security Assistance Working Group which deals with acquisitions, which pertains to capabilities and the third is on Counter-terrorism Working Group, that deals with our operations in connection with global war on terrorism, generally; with a special focus on Pakistan-Afghanistan co-operation.
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